1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a novel class of chemical compositions, phosphoroustrislactams, particularly, phosphoroustriscaprolactam, and processes for their preparation.
2.Description of the Prior Art
Engineered plastics comprising so called "blended polymers" find widespread use in industry. Typically these materials comprise two or more constituent materials, such as a two or more polymers, or a polymer with a non-polymeric material, which are form compositions which should ideally exhibit the beneficial features of the several constituents, without any detrimental qualities. Unfortunately, as is well known to the art, blended polymeric materials are rarely attained which offer the desirable characteristics of the constituents, without simultaneously suffering from some detrimental quality. Examples of such useful classes of materials include the polyamides which exhibit good solvent resistance, hydrolytic stability, abrasion resistance and generally good mechanical strength, but are also notoriously poor materials for use in aqueous or humid environments due to high water absorptivity, and poor creep performances at common temperatures. Also, are polyalkylene terepthalates, particularly polyethylene terephthalate ("PET") and polybutylene terephthalate ("PBT") which, due to their crystalline structure, feature useful mechanical properties and are dimensionally stable, but also suffer low glass transition temperatures, "T.sub.g " and hence suffer low heat distortion temperatures. A further class of materials include the class of materials referred to as polyphenylene ethers ("PPE"), also interchangeably referred to in the art as polyphenylene oxides ("PPO") which exhibit higher glass transition temperatures, but suffer poorer melt processability and solvent resistance properties than polyalkylene terephthalates. Blends of polyalkylene terephthalate and PPE lact compatibility and hence exhibit poor properties and require a compatibilizing agent to improve their properties. In general, several approaches are known to the art, including the formation of copolymers with other constituents through the use of reactive agents have been proposed in the art in order to improve the compatibility and property improvements in blended polymers, such as that described in European Patent Application 0 129 825 wherein compositions of polyphenylene ethers and polyamides are blended in the presence of an organic phosphate which acts to compatabilize the composition and improve the flame retardant characteristics thereof. U.S. Pat. No. 4,532,306 to Sugio et al. describes compositions comprising a polyphenylene ether resin and a poly(epsilon-caprolactone). Particular constituents which have been proposed in the art to be useful in the formation of improved compositions include that of U.S. Pat. No. 3,862,262 to Hendrick et al. for "Lactam-PolyolAcyl Polylactam Terpolymers" which describe novel terpolymers which find particular use blend formulations, as well as the compositions described by Y. Akiyama in Japanese Patent Application No. 18092-1962, filed May 9, 1962 by Asahi Kasei Kogyo K.K. for a "Method of Polymerizing Pyrrolidone". The limitations of the various classes of polymers and the desirability of forming improved polymer blends indicates a continuing need in the art for novel constituents and compositions which find use as effective compatibilizers in the formation of improved polymer blend compositions, and which provide beneficial effects which have been hitherto unknown to the art.